What is Stress

We are not machines. Too much of anything will cause a breakdown. To avoid this, we need to stay in balance – in a state called ‘homeostasis’.

“I loved this workshop, could have listened to Heather speak all day. Took lots of good things away from this.”

Celia Weller

Control Officer, London Fire Brigade

“This was a fascinating, insightful and well thought out session. It was engaging and well delivered. I would recommend this to anyone in the service.”

Carys Jones

Associate Partner People, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

“Really professionally delivered session. Some great ideas, understanding and interaction from fellow attendees which really enhanced the detail in the session.”

Michelle Taylor

HR Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

“Very informative and interesting. I have taken away some useful information to help me recognise and manage my stress. I also recognised new things about myself and how I manage my stress. A very well produced and delivered session delivered in a professional yet very understandable way – brilliant, I enjoyed this course. Thank you.”

Nicola Gomersall

District Administrator. West Yorkshire Fire Service Leeds District

“Excellent session, very informative and interesting. I learnt a lot about myself in terms of wellbeing and being able to maintain and protect my wellbeing. Also, raised awareness of recognising stress symptoms in others.”

Rob Quin

Assistant Chief. Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue

“Extremely useful session. Enjoyed learning about physiological responses and how to take care of myself better. Would love the opportunity to complete a full day’s session. All information given was well presented and well explained. Loved the ending; ‘This too shall pass’. Very inspiring and thought provoking. Thank you”

Jodie White

Youth Officer. Derbyshire Fire and Rescue

“Excellent course/workshop. Learnt a lot about Stress and how I can use it in my everyday life also being able to identify Stress in other people. Enjoyed the God simple breathing exercise to do easily at work and home.”

Joanne Henry

HR Advisor. TWFRS

“An excellent session on the physical effects that Stress can cause. Very informative but in an easy to understand way. Will definitely take back the information that I have learnt and use in a productive way. Would love to find out more!”

Sarah Barker

Administrator, West Midlands Fire Service

“Really great workshop – very well explained and great background knowledge. Excellent resources brochure to take away.

Mentioning of points that are often overlooked was good.”

Katie Newnham

Firefighter, West Sussex - Chichester

“What a fantastic workshop. I feel I am better placed to recognise the signs of stress in myself and others.

But more importantly, I have the means to do something about it. The tools to cope.”

Jennifer Whyte

Administrator Technical Fire and Safety, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

“Really interesting. A better understanding of what is happening to my body and its response. Thank you.”

Becky Mooney

Firefighter (Control) Bedfordshire FRS

“Prior to the workshop I really didn’t know what to expect, but the workshop exceeded my expectations. I feel it is the sort of workshop everyone should take part in. Delivery was great and extremely informative and relatable. I feel I have learnt so much.”

Katie Jeffery

Station Manager (Control) Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

“Excellent session – really interesting. Put simply and very effective. Easy to use advice. Would love to learn more.”

Bex Sims

Firefighter, Nottingham

“Very, very interesting. I have taken away the need for self-care.

Embracing downtime and being aware of your body and what it is telling you is new to me.”

Louise Crofts

Home Safety Advisor, Bedfordshire

“Heather came to speak to a group of our early stage start-ups about how stress can impact your health and business growth. Heather’s warm approach enabled each person to feel at ease and share their own individual experiences. During the session, we learnt about the scientific principles of stress in handy bitesize chunks. Heather is a talented communicator and certainly knows her stuff!“

Louis Bedwell

Bathtub 2 Boardroom

“I found the session extremely helpful. I have a high-pressure career dealing with several external factors that are not easily controlled. Understanding stress from a physiological perspective has helped me feel less stressed, while allowing my body to assist me in achieving results. I would thoroughly recommend this course.”

Gerard Miles

Senior Associate, True Search

“We all think we know about stress, because everyone everywhere is living with it to a greater or lesser extent. But what do you do to cope with it? Whether you work on your own, or employ others, you owe it to yourself to learn more about how to handle stress in yourself and your staff.”

Yves Cozon

Membership Advisor for the Federation of Small Businesses - Oxfordshire

Adrenaline: positive or negative?

As human beings, we are inclined to experience stress. In many ways it is good for us – without a touch of adrenaline we won’t win the race or climb the mountain.

Experiencing too little time, feeling that we are not in control, plus constant change that is ever-present in today’s world – it is not surprising that so many people are living with the long-term effects of stress. These effects are not just felt by the individual, but by everyone around them, including friends, family and colleagues.

What is Stress founder, Heather Darwall-Smith, is passionate about bringing understanding to stress. She knows what it is like to experience extreme stress at work and to come out stronger on the other side.

Having originally trained in design, working in Sydney and London agencies – life was pressured – work hard / play hard was the rule. Digital technology brought tighter deadlines, increasing demands and even more pressure. Many years of running a successful design and marketing business led Heather to a high-level marketing role where life ran at the speed of the blinking light on a BlackBerry.

Enough was enough. Embarking on long held dream to make a major career change – psychotherapy training beckoned.

Heather completed her MA in Mindfulness-based Core Process Psychotherapy from The Karuna Institute. She is currently working towards a PGDip in Sleep Science at the University of Oxford, and also holds a diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling (BCPC).

Alongside her work as Sleep Therapist at The London Sleep Centre, Heather runs a private practice in Oxford, which is bound by the UKCP code of ethics and regularly supervised in line with requirements.

Heather specialises in issues such as trauma, addiction and PTSD and particularly how they can present as challenges to sleep. This work directly supports her ongoing research into insomnia and other sleep conditions. Heather believes that the path to wellbeing lies in a good night’s sleep. An important part of her ongoing clinical research addresses the cyclical question; what comes first, poor sleep or poor mental health?

What is Stress evolved out of a response to the need for a practical means of delivering stress reduction and sleep improvement programmes, Heather has designed an effective model that brings the benefits of therapy directly to people working in stressful environments. Her uniquely integrated approach uses a combination of workshops and 1:1 coaching.

Understand the physiology of stress

Stress is a physical reaction activated by the nervous system long before the brain gives it a story. Long-term activation of the nervous system leads to many easily recognised symptoms of stress. Demonstrating ‘why’ this happens, that it happens to everyone, and how a range of symptoms appear, can empower people to take action.

“Resilient strength is the opposite of helplessness. The tree is made strong and resilient by its grounded root system. These roots take nourishment from the ground and grow strong. Grounding also allows the tree to be resilient so that it can yield to the winds of change and not be uprooted.”

Peter A. Levine, Ph.D

You can’t reduce stress by ticking a box or handing out a leaflet

What is Stress brings together a unique combination of skills to educate people in how stress will be affecting their life

Start helping your team today

Find out more about What is Stress and how a programme can be tailored to your business requirements

Having originally trained in design, working in Sydney and London agencies – life was pressured – work hard / play hard was the rule. Digital technology brought tighter deadlines, increasing demands and even more pressure. Many years of running a successful design and marketing business led Heather to a high-level marketing role where life ran at the speed of the blinking light on a BlackBerry.

Enough was enough. Embarking on long held dream to make a major career change - psychotherapy training beckoned.

To deepen the psychotherapy training Heather also trained as a remedial massage therapist. This in-depth study required extensive anatomy training. Through studying the function of the nervous system, understanding the physical effects of stress on the body was a lightbulb moment. She knew she had to show people how everyone experiences stress in their own way. How they experience it can sometimes be a difficult place. With education and support people are able to self manage their health, happiness and learn how to increase their emotional resilience.

Today, Heather is approaching completion of a five-year training to become a psychotherapist. With a relentless thirst for knowledge she has also under taken training in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.